Christine Golding, Author of Daddy Came Home A Stranger-Alcoholism Through the Eyes of a Child
Christine Golding
Author of Daddy Came Home A Stranger and owner of publishing company Garrett Grove Cottage Press based in East Sandwich MA
I have always had a passion for teaching and learning which led me to a long career in education. My love of books, propelled me to start writing a journal in my late teens as a way to make sense of the many mixed messages I received as a young child. In my early twenties I attempted to convert my journal entries into a book. This was my way of attempting to organize my life into manageable chunks of time and understanding. I filed my "book" into a folder where it sat for more than 40 years!
This past year a friend of mine was thinking about publishing a children's series and wanted my help with the artwork. It reminded me to take a look at the "book" I had started all those years ago.
Although I never intended to publish it, upon reading it all these years later, I thought how a story that mirrored my own experiences when I was a child would have impacted my life. I created Daddy Came Home A Stranger as a way to support others by showing the human side of alcoholism through the eyes of a child, and to show the strength and resiliency of children in the face of extraordinary adversity.
about me
I have been an educator for over 40 years and have taught children from preschool to college level. I hold two Masters degrees; one as a Consulting Teacher of Reading, and one as an Educational Administrator. I am the former owner of Splatter Art School in Sandwich, MA and Sandwich Independent Day School, a very progressive early childhood program that received national accreditation (NAEYC) for over 10 years. I also owned and operated a commercial construction company responsible for building several commercial buildings on Cape Cod and the South Shore of Massachusetts. I have been journaling for over fifty years, which is how this book began. I am the owner of Garrett Grove Cottage Press. I am retired and live on Cape Cod, MA with my husband Howard, and our pooch, Princess Fiji.
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decline of a once remarkable man...
In Alcoholism Through The Eyes of A Child, the reader sees how alcoholism can change a family's dynamics forever. Vivid illustrations capture the love and emotions along with the toll parental alcoholism can take on a child's development. Daddy Came Home A Stranger illustrates the ongoing decline of a once remarkable man, which is so prevalent in addiction. The reader sees that without proper intervention, a life can be demoralized and ultimately taken away by addiction.
recovery...
Grateful to Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-anon...
Having personally experienced the deep anguish of growing up in an alcoholic family, with many years spent in Al-anon circles, sharing stories of hope and encouragement and witnessing the powerful transformation that recovery offers, I was inspired to publish my journal entries to show the human side of alcoholism through the eyes of a child.
dream big dreams...
Daddy Came Hom A Stranger helps us understand how children can rise above the turmoil and learn empathy and forgiveness. It is a testament of how resilient children can be in the face of extraordinary adversity. They can still dream big dream and find purpose. It doesn't have to destroy them. They can persevere and even thrive.
empathy and forgiveness...
A straightforward and compelling story told in the powerful voice of a child.
When one little girl witnesses the change her father goes through because of his addiction to alcohol, she embarks on an inward journey to come to terms with his struggle, which ultimately becomes her struggle. A shy and isolated child, yearning to make sense of her sadness and confusion, she watches as her beloved dad descends into a downward spiral.
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